Study finds battery life to be worse in new smartphones

We’re used to seeing yearly smartphone tech upgrades touted by the likes of Apple and Samsung, such as improved camera image quality and sharper, higher-resolution screens. Of course, these features are more of a drain on battery life, but many phones promise improved battery efficiency and capacity each time a new model is released.

Well, you may not be getting the improved battery life that you seek when you go for a new phone upgrade. A new study by the Washington Post has revealed that battery life in many newer flagship handsets is worse than in older models.

Worsening battery life in new models?

The research study run by the Washington Post took into account 13 different devices, including the latest 2 handsets from Google and Apple, the Google Pixel 3 and iPhone XS. Each phone was set up to use the same level of screen brightness, with each one being programmed to reload and scroll through a website on repeat until the battery died.

Some of the newest devices revealed worse performance than their predecessors. For example, the iPhone XS lasted 21 minutes shorter than the iPhone X that was released last year. Even worse, the Google Pixel 3 died a full 90 minutes sooner than the Pixel 2, marking a huge difference in battery capability.

One of the only phones to break the trend was the most recently announced iPhone handset, the iPhone XR. As a cheaper alternative to the X range of iPhones, it uses a less powerful LCD screen as opposed to an OLED like its bigger brothers. This results in less power consumption, meaning it lasted several hours longer than its counterparts.

However, it’s good news for fans of bigger screens, as the larger iPhone XS Max lasted over an hour longer than the iPhone X, also beating the iPhone 8 in battery life. So whilst the results of the Washington Post’s research study are interesting, they don’t necessarily seem to be the rule in every case; it depends on which handset you buy. The iPhone XS Max has a better battery than the smaller XS model, for example.

Replacing an aging battery

Whether you’ve got an aging iPhone handset or a relatively new model that just isn’t lasting as long as it used to between charges, you can boost the life of your device by replacing the battery unit. It’s never recommended to do this yourself, as you could damage any one of a number of components. Instead, you should seek the services of a professional company to make the change for you.

WiseGuys can replace iPhone batteries in Bournemouth and Christchurch. You can call us to book in a replacement on 0808 123 2820, or drop into one of our walk-in support centers for a same-day replacement while you do your Christmas shopping.